LANSING, Mich. — Twenty-five cases of coronavirus have tested presumptive positive, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.
The cases include:
- An adult female from Detroit with unknown travel history.
- An adult male from Washtenaw County with history of international travel.
- An adult female from Wayne County with history of contact with a confirmed case.
- An adult male. No additional information is available on this case at this time. Updated information will be provided as it is available.
- Two women from Kent County and one adult male, all with history of international travel.
- A woman from Montcalm with history of international travel.
- A woman from Ingham County with history of travel on a cruise.
- Two men from Oakland County; one with no travel history and one with domestic travel.
- A man from St. Clair County with history of domestic travel.
- One woman and one man from Washtenaw County; one with history of domestic travel and one with history of international travel.
- An adult male from Bay County with history domestic travel.
- An adult female from Charlevoix County with history of international travel.
- An adult female from Detroit with history of international travel.
- An adult male from Macomb County with history of international travel.
- Two adult females and an adult male from Oakland County, one with history of international travel two with unknown travel history.
- Two adult females from Wayne County, one with history of domestic and the other with no history of travel.
Out of the 172 cases tested in Michigan, 25 have come back positive for COVID-19.
A presumptive case means state health officials conducted the testing, and the specimen will now be sent to the CDC for confirmation.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer provided an update on the situation late Thursday evening.
Due to the spread of the virus, Whitmer ordered that all K-12 schools—public, private and boarding— close from Monday, March 16 through April 5. School buildings are scheduled to reopen on Monday, April 6.
"In an abundance of caution, I am ordering the closure of all K-12 schools buildings in Michigan for three weeks," Whitmer said at a late night Thursday press conference. "This is not a decision I am taking lightly."
Kent County Health officials also gave an update Thursday night, saying all three people who tested positive for COVID-19 are over the age of 60 and they recently traveled to countries where the virus is present.
The first two cases of COVID-19 in Michigan were reported on March 10. State officials said there was one case in Wayne County and one case in Oakland County.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency after the first cases in Michigan were confirmed to help reduce the spread of the virus.
“We are taking every step we can to mitigate the spread of the virus and keep Michiganders safe,” said Whitmer. “I have declared a state of emergency to harness all of our resources across state government to slow the spread of the virus and protect families. It’s crucial that all Michiganders continue to take preventative measures to lower their risk, and to share this information with their friends, family and co-workers.”
On March 3, as cases of coronavirus continued to pop up across the country, Whitmer announced the creation of four task forces to combat the spread of the virus. They are:
- The COVID-19 Task Force on State Operations, which will oversee all aspects of state operations, including employment and facilities.
- The COVID-19 Task Force on Health and Human Services, which will cover the provision of medical and human services.
- The COVID-19 Task Force on Education, which will cover all K-12 public schools, universities and colleges
- The COVID-19 Task Force on Economy/Workforce, which will cover the general economic impact, workforce, supply chain and business continuity.
Whitmer also activated the State Emergency Operations Center at the end of February to coordinate with state, local and federal agencies to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The emergency operations center will facilitate communication between every branch of government, which are working to address coronavirus.
The CDC says patients with confirmed infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common cold or COVID-19 is to:
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others.
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